Speed-indicator.



F. L. CANTRALL.

SPEED INDIGATOB. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1911.

Patented 001;.22, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

P. L. CANTRALL.

SPEED INDIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1911.

1,042,316. Patented 001122, 1912.

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UNITED. STA PAZPENT O ICE-i T roassr LEE OANTRALL, "or iv cat rr oim ul.

. SPEED-INDICATOR.

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- 7 lampandmeans for establishing an electric circuit to each of the lamps in vsuccessive order so, that the speed may be determined at aglance, the several circuits being con- .trolle d'by means of a. speedometer or like appliance actuated by themoving vehicle.-

'A' further-purpose of theinvent'i'on isthe provision ofan indicator which may befread at adistance so that any crson mayobserve the speed of a vehicle fi'omthe side walk or other point ofvantage, the purpose-being to deter persons operating mechanically propelled vehicles speed, P

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claim. I

Referring to the drawings, forming apart of the specification, Figure 1 is a front view of a s eed indicator embodying the invennumber;- Eac of the compartments or cells tion, tie upper part of the wind shield being indicated. by dotted lines and the upper portion broken away. is a transverse sect-ion on the lineof F 1,showing the parts on a larger scale. F1g. 3 is a .dia-

I grammatic View, showing the circuitsand the speed mechanism for completing the lamp circuitsin successive order.-

Correspondingand like parts are referred to in the'following-de sc'ri tion, and indicated in all-the views of t the same reference characters. The invention contemplates a wind shield embodyiifig an upper anel l of glass and a lower section 2, whic is subdivided into'a pluralitygof cells or compartments 3, each representinga multiple'of five. The manner of designating the cells orflcompartmentsp i of themethod'o operation will'be readily 'may.;..obvio usl be variedto; indicate any Spec i fltafion of Letters Patent. Application filed :ranuar m, i911.

. upon which "the numbers appear.

tor, 6;is located in the rear of each of the lamps so as to throw the rays .of vlight through the transparent. portions of the glass plate 5 corresponding to-the numbers 7 appearing thereon,

from exceeding a lawful e drawings, by

* successively closes the lam Serial No. 603,873.

3 .has a lamp 4.- and the'series of compartments are closed by means of a glass plate 5 A reflecit being imd erstoad that the portion of the plate exterior to the numbers rendered opaque in any manner eitherfbya coat of paint, varnish or by protective means'of any nature applied thereto.

The lamps 4 are connected by means of a wire 7' which is connected to one pole of a battery 8 or source of electric energy. A wire 9 connects the other pole of each of the lamps 'with an electric contact "10. The electric contactslO are located in the arc of a circle and are electrically insulated. The hand ll of the speedometer or other indicatin mechanism is pivoted at 12 corre- "spe'n ing to the center of the circle of which the electric contacts 10 form an arc. A wire 13 'connectsthe hand 11 with the other pole of the battery or source of electric supply.

The speedometer or indicating mechanism for determining the speed may be of any makeor construction and is adapted to be actuated in the usual wayand *thespeed indicatinghand thereof is utilized for making and breaking the various electric circuit the lamps 41. The electric contacts 10 are Patented Oct. 22,1912.

so arranged that. thezp'a'rt' of the hand 11 forming the movable contact closes the cir ,cuit Of'the next lamp pri'or to breaking the circuit of the preceding lam so that the approximate. speed of a vehic e may be determined. When the -hand l1 stands at-zero on the scale of the speedometer no one of the lampsi iis lighted, but when the speed of a vehicle attains a rate of five miles or greater one of the circuits is completed and I the corresponding lamp lighted, thereby illuminating the number opposite the cellor compartment containing the lighted lamp; .As the speed'of the vehicle increases the hand moves; away from the zero point and circuits, thereby enabling an observer to etermine the approzrimate speed at which the vehicle is moving...

From {the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompany ng drawings,the advantafges of the construction and apparenthtothose skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while -I have described the prmciple of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the de-' vice shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

A speed indicator for a mechanically pros elled vehicle comprising a wind shield hav-v inga portion formed of a transparent panel and having the remaining portion subdi vided into cells or compartments each hearmg a number to indicate the speed, electric lamps arranged within the cells or compartments for illuminating the same and the numbers thereof, a plurality of electric conductors in parallel one for each lamp of the cells or. compartments, a circuit closer comprising a movable contact and a series of xed contacts each in series with a lamp, and a speed indicating mechanism having the movable contact connected therewith, whereby the lamp circuits are successively closed as the speed of the vehicle increases. In testimony whereof I aFiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FOREST LEE CANTRALL. Witnesses:

J. G. Racnronu, BENJAMIN Lama.- 

